"Unraveling the Truth"

The air was still thick with emotion as Avan's eyes remained locked on Ender's face, his expression a picture of empathy and concern. But Ashley's gaze had changed, her eyes flashing with a warning, a silent plea for Avan to stop. She knew that Ender's fragile heart wasn't ready for the truth, not yet. "Avan, stop," she said, her voice low and urgent, her hand reaching out to touch his arm. But Avan's attention remained fixed on Ender, his eyes searching for something, anything, that would help him understand. Ashley's grip on his arm tightened, her fingers digging into his skin. "Avan, please," she whispered, her voice barely audible. But Avan shook his head, his eyes never leaving Ender's face. "What do you mean, he went to a special place?" he asked, his voice gentle but insistent. Ashley's heart sank, she knew she had to act fast. She couldn't let Avan continue down this path, not when Ender was still so vulnerable. She took a deep breath and reached out to Ender, her hand extended. "Hey, Ender, look what I found," she said, her voice bright and cheerful. Ender's eyes flickered to hers, and he took the drawing sheet she handed him. As he looked at the colorful pictures, his face lit up with a small smile. Ashley's eyes met Avan's, and she mouthed a silent "stop". But Avan just shook his head, his eyes never leaving Ender's face. Ashley knew she had to be more direct. She leaned in close to Avan, her voice barely above a whisper. "Avan, stop. He's not dead. He got life in prison." Avan's expression froze, his eyes widening in shock. He looked at Ashley, his mouth opening and closing, as if searching for words. But Ashley just shook her head, her eyes darting to Ender, who was still engrossed in the drawing sheet. The room seemed to hold its breath, as if waiting for Avan's next move. Ashley's heart was racing, she knew that this conversation had just taken a dramatic turn. She could only hope that Avan would understand, that he would know when to push and when to pull back. As the silence stretched out, Avan's eyes never left Ashley's face, his expression a mixture of confusion and concern. He seemed to be searching for answers, but Ashley just shook her head, her eyes locked on his. She knew that this was just the beginning, that the truth would have to come out eventually. But for now, she just hoped that they could keep Ender safe, shield him from the pain that was sure to come.